


charlie work

by canismajor (fallenluci)



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-26 08:05:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10782825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenluci/pseuds/canismajor
Summary: There are certain things Charlie knows just come with the job - cleaning toilets, bashing rats, cleaning all the parts of the bar that no one else wants to clean - but there are other aspects of 'Charlie Work' too, things that are harder to do, because they come with nuanced rules that only come from years and years of practice, and Charlie knows that no one will really be able to do them like he can.Taking care of Mac is just one of those things.





	1. Chapter 1

It’s been nearly six months of Mac flaking out on him before Charlie finally gets introduced to Dennis Reynolds. He’s not bitter about it - not even really mad - because Mac always has a good reason, or at least manages to convince Charlie to see his point of view; he just doesn’t understand what Mac really sees in Dennis.

Well, he understands to a certain degree. Dennis acts cool and is that kind of good looking that comes from families flush with money, but he’s also just a bit of an asshole. He’s always talking about just how popular and great he is, but Charlie’s pretty sure people that popular don’t hang around under bleachers with him and Mac.

“Dennis is so cool, right?” Mac says as they’re walking home, hands shoved into his pockets and the fainted bit of red rising on his cheeks.

It’s cold out, probably the coldest it’s been all winter. Charlie pulls his hat down low and shrugs. “I guess.”

Mac nods, and Charlie is fairly sure he’s not even really listening. “Yeah, he’s so cool.”

They walk the rest of the way back to Charlie’s place in silence. It’s an unspoken thing, when it’s this cold, they head back to Charlie’s. If it’s hot, they go back to Mac’s. They never really needed to discuss it, but Charlie knew it was because Mac’s place hardly ever had the heat working. He also knew it was probably because Mac’s mom had lost her job after his dad went to prison. 

Whatever the reason, it didn’t really matter. Charlie’s house was always warm, and his mom never minded when she found Mac asleep on the sofa in the morning.

They end up sprawled over the couch in Charlie’s basement - not even properly high, since Charlie can never really tell which glue is the right one - neither of them really wanting to talk. That is, until Mac turns to face him.

“Why do you think Dennis hangs out with us, bro?”

Charlie rolls his eyes because he really can’t be bothered with Mac fawning over Dennis right now. “I don’t know.”

“I mean, he’s friends with  _ Adriano _ , dude, Adriano.”

There’s really nothing that Charlie can say to that, because it’s a pretty solid argument. Adriano Calvanese is the coolest guy Charlie has ever met, which is probably why he does whatever it takes to get his approval. Dennis had laughed for ten minutes straight after Mac had told him about how Charlie ate bugs and shit if it meant that the cool kids left him alone, but even then, it wasn’t the cruel kind of laugh Charlie heard so often from Adriano and his gang. Dennis is a bit of a jerk, but he’s not a complete asshole.

“Yeah, Dennis is pretty cool, I guess.”

Mac’s face lights up, and he punches Charlie lightly on the shoulder. “I knew you’d like him.”

“Yeah,” Charlie says softly.

Maybe he did get the right kind of glue, because there’s a warm, numb feeling in his chest, and Mac’s looking at him like he hung the fucking stars in the sky.

“What’re you looking at, dude?” Charlie says, moving to push at Mac’s shoulder, but the gesture is half hearted, and ends with Charlie brushing his fingers down Mac’s bicep. 

Mac grins, slow and sedated. “Your ugly face.” 

The first thing Charlie notices about the whole situation is that Mac isn’t jerking away from his touch. Usually, if Charlie so much as accidentally brushes his hand while they’re walking, Mac will pull away like he’s been shocked. Charlie can’t work out whether it’s because Mac was a touch-starved child, or because he so adamantly buries any part of himself that isn’t one hundred percent tough and straight. Either way, Charlie finds it exhausting most of the time, so whenever Mac is high, Charlie enjoys it.

But the second thing Charlie notices is that Mac’s gaze keeps roaming over Charlie’s face, more often than not landing on his lips.

“Ugly, huh?” Charlie says, but it’s weak, not even a real challenge. His fingers are still on Mac’s arm.

Mac hums in agreement. “Yeah man, you’ve got too many freckles. Makes you look like a girl.” His eyes don’t quite reach Charlie’s, like he’s trying to count the dusting of freckles across Charlie’s nose.

Charlie scoffs. “Sounds kinda gay,” he says, because he knows it will make Mac pull back, make him stop leaning in close like he’s gonna do something stupid. He’s dealt with Mac like this before, when he gets too high, too fast, and starts letting his guard down. It’s not like Charlie  _ minds _ , hell, if he had it his way, his first kiss would have been Mac the first time they got high in the basement; back when Mac was softer, less afraid.

But Mac minds, so Charlie makes sure he doesn’t end up doing something he’ll regret. It’s his job, taking care of Mac, even when Mac doesn’t really want it.

Only this time, Mac doesn’t pull back the second Charlie accuses him of being gay, he does something far, far worse.

He kisses Charlie.

_ Shit _ , Charlie thinks as Mac pulls him closer,  _ this is so bad, this is so against the rules _ . 

It is pretty bad, both of them at awkward angles, heads fuzzy. Mac moves too fast and erratically for it to really be any good, but Charlie really doesn’t mind, because this is  _ Mac _ , and he’s pretty sure there’s nearly nothing Mac could do to make Charlie hate it.

Since he’s already ruined everything, Charlie figures he may as well fucking go all in. He brings his hands up, holding the back of Mac’s neck and keeping him close. Mac has both his hands on Charlie’s waist, pulling him in until Charlie’s almost straddling his lap. Their kissing is getting better too, smoother, more calm, like they’ve both worked out how to breathe.

It doesn’t take long for Charlie to bite the bullet and climb onto Mac’s thighs, and Mac wraps his arms around him, pulling them close until there’s almost no space between them.

“Bro,” Mac mumbles against Charlie’s jaw when they finally break apart, opting for kissing a line down to Charlie’s neck.

Charlie hums in response, hands rising so he can curl his fingers into Mac’s hair.

Mac pulls away from Charlie’s neck so he can kiss him again, both of them breathing heavy. Charlie rocks his hips forward against Mac’s, and even though Mac gasps and they’re both hard, he shoves Charlie away, roughly. Taken by surprise, Charlie falls off of Mac’s lap, hitting the ground.

“What are you doing,” Mac says sharply, voice thick.

Charlie frowns. “What the fuck, man?”

Mac shakes his head, like he’s trying to clear his thoughts. “I’m not gay, Charlie.”

It’s not a very convincing argument, considering Mac was the one who kissed him first, and considering the fact that Mac still has what is probably becoming a really uncomfortable hard-on.

“Seems like you’re a little bit gay, dude.”

Mac stands over him as Charlie scrambles to his feet, both of them bristling with anger. For a split second, Charlie thinks Mac might actually punch him, before Mac pushes him away, heading for the door. Charlie doesn’t move until Mac slams the basement door and he hears him walk out of his house.

As soon as he hears the front door close, it’s like the spell is broken, and Charlie screams into a couch pillow until his throat hurts.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings for allusions to past abuse and just general uncle jack creepiness. for the record i wish he was dead lmao

It’s the last day of classes before winter break when Dennis decides to invite them all on holiday.

“Dad’s taking us all out to Alpine Ridge for the week,” Dennis tells them, in that way he does when he knows whatever he’s about to say will impress them. “He said I can bring whoever I want, as a kinda ‘last winter of high school’ thing.”

They’re all skipping gym, firstly because it’s too cold, but mostly because it’s fucking gym. Mac and Schmitty are passing a cigarette between them for some reason Charlie couldn’t keep up with. Something about it being the last one in a pack that they went halves on, but they couldn’t remember who owned the last one so they decided to split it (which was a hell of a lot more civil than the way they worked out most arguments).

Mac still hasn’t really spoken to Charlie since That Afternoon, and Charlie can’t help but feel a sharp ache whenever Mac moves away from him or looks somewhere else when Charlie smiles at him. Still, Mac has all the time of the world for Dennis, so Charlie tries not to get too upset when Mac is the first one to get excited at Dennis’ suggestion.

Mac passes the last of the cigarette to Schmitty so fast he almost burns his hand. “Alpine Ridge? Dude, is that like one of those ski resorts from the movies?”

Dennis nods smugly, and Mac and Schmitty share an excited kind of grin that is basically an answer on its own.

“What about you, Charlie? You keen?” Dennis asks.

There are thousands of excuses Charlie could throw out, something about already made plans, or a sick family member. Hell, he could have even convinced Dennis that his mom had grounded him over winter. Instead, he does none of those things, and the embarrassing truth slips out of his mouth almost of its own accord.

“I can’t leave Philly.”

Schmitty and Dennis both frown at him, only Mac nods.

“Yeah, Charlie’s never left Philadelphia. One time, when we were in grade school, there was this trip to Pittsburgh that Charlie couldn’t go to because he got real nervous about leaving the city,” Mac adds, unhelpfully.

Charlie closes his eyes, trying his absolute best not to deck his best friend, but a small part of him is almost glad Mac said anything about him at all. Mac has only ever ignored him once before, and it was the worst few days of Charlie’s life.

When Dennis and Schmitty look back at him, Charlie feels himself shrink back into his jacket.

“It’s really not a big deal, it’s just a … thing,” he finishes weakly.

Dennis frowns. “You do know that nothing  _ bad _ is gonna happen to you if you leave Philly, right? I mean, if anything, you’d be  _ safer _ out of the city.”

_ You can’t promise that _ is what Charlie wants to say, but instead he just shrugs. “I don’t know, man, I don’t even know how to ski anyway, so a mountain doesn’t really seem like the place for me.”

They all drop the subject and start talking about something else, but Charlie isn’t really focused. He glances up, and Dennis is still looking at him, an odd look on his face. It looks like it could almost be concern, but Charlie knows for a fact that Dennis is incapable of feeling sympathetic for anyone outside of himself, and besides, Charlie doesn’t need his pity. Instead, he tunes in to whatever stupid story Schmitty is telling, and tries to ignore the fact that his two best friends would be going on holiday without him in a few short days.

 

-

 

The walk home is quiet, and lonely. Charlie can’t remember the last time he had gone so long without Mac walking him home. Schmitty lives in a completely different part of town, and Dennis and his sister always get driven home, but Mac has always walked right next to him. 

It’s bitingly cold today, and Charlie knows it’s one of those days when he and Mac would head back to his house and throw all the blankets they could find onto Charlie’s couch and watch old movies. Mac will never admit it, but Charlie knows his friend is secretly grateful that Charlie doesn’t even say a word when he unlocks the front door and lets Mac into his house like he’s lived there his whole life.

Charlie can’t help but wonder what Mac’s doing this afternoon, if he’ll go back home to a freezing house and throw on as many layers as he can until he can feel his fingers again.

When Charlie unlocks the door - on his own, this time - the house is warm. He groans inwardly; the only reason the heating would be on is if his mom is home, and Charlie far prefers the days when he can escape to his room or the basement without being subjected to his mother overbearing anxiety.

“Charlie?” Bonnie calls, hearing the door shut. “Charlie, is that you?”

_ Obviously _ , Charlie keeps himself from yelling. “Yeah Mom.”

He makes his way into the kitchen, heading for a glass of water when the guest at the dining table makes him stop dead in his tracks.

“Hello Charlie,” his uncle says, and Charlie feels his heart drop.

“What’s he doing here?” he demands.

Bonnie smiles, oblivious as ever as she takes a seat next to her brother. “Jack thought he’d pop in for the afternoon, he hasn’t been around for so long.”

Jack smiles, and Charlie feels like his lunch is going to resurface. “Yeah, he hasn’t, and it’s been great.”

“Charlie!” Bonnie gasps, but Jack doesn’t seem fazed. 

“How are you, Charlie?” he asks in that awful, soft voice of his.

Charlie hates him, in that moment, he really truly hates him. Most of the time, he just generally tries to ignore his entire existence, but now that he’s sitting in his kitchen like he belongs there, smiling and talking to him, he can barely hold back the violent and terrifying rage he feels in the pit of his stomach.

“Ah- this past few weeks really hasn’t been great for me, actually Uncle Jack,” he’s shaking, hands curled into fists as his sides, and he can hear it in his voice. “It’s actually been shit, fucking shit. And now I’m gonna go. I’m gonna go- I’m gonna go up to my room, and I’m not coming down until everyone is gone.”

Bonnie looks to shocked to speak, and Jack’s smile is faltering, but Charlie doesn’t hang around long enough to see their reactions outside of that.

Once he’s up in his room, with the door slammed shut and his desk chair propped up under the handle, Charlie finally feels like he can breathe. The desk chair is probably overkill, Charlie highly doubts either his uncle or his mother would actually try to force their way into his room, but it’s more for him that it is for them. A visual sign of security.

The rage he felt earlier is gone, replaced with a sense of dread and a strong urge to go throw up. Charlie doesn’t really know what he wants to do, all he knows is that he can’t stay here.

 

-

 

It wasn’t as though Charlie intended to end up outside Mac’s house, but it’s getting dark and he’s already paced around half the city and he still doesn’t want to go home. So here he is, standing outside the door to Mac’s house and trying to work up courage.

The second after he finally manages to knock, Charlie wants to run away. He’s just about to turn and leave before Mac opens the door, looking confused.

“Charlie?”

In one movement, Charlie steps in and holds Mac tight. It’s a messy, desperate hug, and all Charlie can do is hope that Mac won’t push him away. After a moment of hesitation, Mac hugs him back - just as fiercely - and Charlie can’t help but notice how cold his hands are.

They stand like that for a while; on Mac’s doorway, both of them clinging to each other.

Mac is the first one to pull away, cheeks warmer than they were before, but he’s still smiling softly. “Are you okay?”

There’s no easy answer to the question, and Charlie doesn’t even know where to begin with explaining it to Mac, or if he even  _ wants  _ to explain it in the first place, so instead he just smiles and nods.

“Yeah, yeah I’m good. Just thought I would miss your ugly face while you’re gone over the break.”

Mac’s smile turns into a grin, and he punches Charlie on the shoulder. 

“You just wait, Charlie. I’m gonna get so good at skiing while I’m up there.”

Charlie follows Mac inside, listening to him ramble about how great skiing is for your physique and how ripped he’s gonna get, just grateful that he has his best friend back.


End file.
